75 first responders rescue hiker from Appalachian Trail; Three firefighters treated for heat illness

ohOn Thursday, July 9, a hiker on the Appalachian Trail needed to be rescued from a particularly rugged section of the trail in Connecticut between Schaghticoke Campground and Mount Algo Campground. The hiker had been with another person and was suffering from dehydration and a heat-related illness. The high temperatures in the area also affected the rescuers, with three of the rescuers requiring further medical attention.

Starting the rescue

Emergency crews from Connecticut and New York were dispatched shortly after noon following a 911 call. Ultimately, about 75 people participated in the rescue efforts.

Kent Volunteer Fire Department Chief Tim Sneller described the area as “the most rugged part of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut.” The steep, rocky terrain was far from the nearest road, so crews had to remove the hiker in a rescue basket.

Sneller says this is the second time this year his team has performed a trail rescue, but this particular situation was exacerbated by temperatures around 90 degrees and high humidity of the day.

heat illness

Three of the first responders ended up suffering from heat-related illnesses, two of them were treated at the scene and a third was hospitalized. Some of the additional teams were sent after rescuers began experiencing heat symptoms and had to be removed from the rescue effort for treatment. Rescue teams ended their operations around 7:30 p.m.

As of Friday morning, all four individuals were in stable condition. Regarding the hospitalized first responder, Sneller says, «I talked to him and he’s fine.» He advises hikers in the summer months to «bring plenty of fluids and a charged phone» and to «call us sooner rather than later» if they need help.

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